


Buck's Bubble

by rant_girl



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Christopher Diaz Has Two Dads, Domestic Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Self-Esteem Issues, taking a chance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 10:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27349537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rant_girl/pseuds/rant_girl
Summary: Maddie just wants Buck to know how much he is loved. Telling him never seems to have much impact. She needs reinforcements.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Maddie Buckley, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 295





	Buck's Bubble

**Author's Note:**

> I like don't even know, this is my very first Buddie fic *ducks for cover* so there is some mild freaking out going on. Be gentle. lol.

"Just tell me why, Buck, why do you never put yourself first?"

"You're the one who told me not to."

"What?" Maddie was genuinely shocked, confusion scrunching her brow.

"You said I better not just become one of those jerks who only ever puts himself first."

Add horrified to that list of feelings. Maddie remembered saying that to him, Buck had been a teenager at the time, asking her for advice about how to approach a girl. She had been teasing. Funny how he forgot the part where she'd told him to just be his wonderful self. 

She blinked. Her focus drawn back to her baby brother's face, and he had clearly been waiting for her full attention.

"Mom and dad were those kind of jerks. And I never want to be like them."

" _Evan_ " - tears tracked down Maddie's face, "You could never...I didn't mean...I never meant." She swallowed hard around the lump that had formed in her throat, "That doesn't mean that you should just disregard your own needs. Or think that they don't matter. That you don't matter. You matter the most."

"Not to you."

"That's not true."

"You've got Chim now and soon you'll have your baby. And I'm not blaming you. You deserve to be happy."

" _Buck_."

"No. Maddie. Listen to me, out of all of us I think we all know that I'm the most expendable."

"You're not expendable. How can you even say that?"

"Maybe because it's true. You all have your own special little bubble units that I'm not a part of. People you have to get home to. No one needs me."

"I need you."

"Not enough."

And she supposed she didn't. She couldn't. She couldn't need him in all the ways Buck needed to be needed. And she couldn't expect Buck to get by on her love alone. She wished she knew how to make him believe in the love of his fire family. So she changed tac. 

"What about Eddie?"

"What about Eddie?" Buck asked right back, with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"He's your best friend. You don't think he needs you? And what about Christopher?"

Buck dropped his head, shaking it with a dry huff, "They don't need me. They have each other. I'm just-" Buck trailed off, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

"You're just what?"

He shook his head, "It doesn't matter, because Eddie would never-"

"Eddie would never what? Love you? Because he does, you know."

"Not the way I love him."

"You don't know that."

"Don't I?"

"The only thing you know for certain is how terrified you are to find out. Because this isn't just some silly little crush or lust-haze. This is the real deal. Don't think I don't see the way you light up whenever you're near him or Christopher, or God, even when you're just talking about either or both of them. They're _your_ bubble unit."

She rolled her eyes at using his phraseology. But Buck didn't seem to notice.

"What if they don't want me in theirs?"

Maddie sighed. "You leave me no choice."

She took out her phone, scrolling through her contacts.

"What are you doing?"

And she hit call, stepping back out of his reach, and she put it on loud speaker, "Hi, Eddie."

"Maddie? What are you calling me for?....Is everything alright with Buck? Did something happen to him? Where is he-?"

Maddie cocked her eyebrow at Buck in a toldja sort of way.

She huffed a laugh, "Eddie, breathe. Buck's fine. I'm looking right at him. I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind loaning Chris to Chim and I for the night. Give us some parenting practice. And maybe you and Buck could have a boys night. In or out is up to you. But what do you think?"

"Hold on. Let me ask him. Hey, Bud, what would you think about spending some time with your Uncle Chim and Aunt Maddie?"

"Will Buck be there too?"

"'Fraid not, mijo. Buck and I are gonna have some grown up time. If that's alright with you?"

Buck held his hand out to Maddie, scowling a little when she didn't immediately relinquish the device, "Give me the phone."

"Eddie, let me talk to him."

"Putting you on speaker."

"Christopher?"

"Bucky!"

"Hey, Superman. What if I were to come over right now, and we could spend the whole afternoon together and then, Aunt Maddie can come by later to get you and take you out for ice-cream with Uncle Chim? Huh?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah?"

"You got yourself a deal."

The three adults all let out a chuckle.

"Thanks, Buddy. See you soon."

"Alright," Eddie said, "I guess I'm in. You had lunch already?"

"Want me to pick something up?" Buck asked.

"You know what, it's a nice day. Let's take him to the park. Get something while we're out."

"Sounds good. See you in a few."

"Yeah. See you later, Maddie."

"Bye, Eddie," Maddie smirked, "See?"

"This doesn't change anything."

"But you could. And you better get going. They're waiting for you."

"You are the worst."

"If by worst you mean best? Then I'd totally have to agree with you. Go get changed."

"Changed? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Well, it's not exactly a date outfit."

"I'm not going on a date. And I'm not dressing up to go to the park."

\--

Buck had ended up switching his t-shirt out for a light blue henley which clung to him perfectly if he did say so himself. And it had gotten Maddie off his case. What it didn't do was get her out of his head. Or any of the feelings that she'd forced him to drudge up out of the box Buck had shoved them down into. 

How much he ached to be able just to reach out and take Eddie's hand in his own, when they were already bumping shoulders as they walked just behind Christopher, heading back to Buck's jeep. 

Or how his heart had fluttered when someone had mistaken him for Christopher's other dad for what had to be the millionth time when he was helping him down the slide and across the monkey bars, as they _battled the space monsters _who were hot on their heels. Eddie filming the entire time as Buck and Christopher built their narrative together.__

__Christopher's imagination never failed to impress._ _

__Buck had overheard the woman who stepped up next to Eddie to tell him what a beautiful family the three of them made. He also didn't miss the way that Eddie never corrected her. That wasn't new either. Neither of them ever did._ _

__"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Eddie asked with a more deliberate nudge of his shoulder._ _

__"Nothing specific."_ _

__"No? 'Cause if I didn't know any better, I would be inclined to believe that your sister was setting us up."_ _

__Buck scoffed, shaking his head with a huff of a laugh and he scratched the back of his neck, because of course Eddie would hit the nail right over the fucking head, "What if she was?"_ _

__"What if she was setting us up?"_ _

__"Yes."_ _

__"Like on a date?"_ _

__"Like on a date."_ _

__Eddie came to a halt, so he could look at him fully, and Buck held his breath._ _

__Eddie smiled, "Maybe you should ask me."_ _

__"Eddie. Would you go out on a date with me?"_ _

__Eddie's smile grew wider as he slipped his hand into Buck's, interlacing their fingers, "Thought you'd never ask."_ _

__Buck's cheeks started to hurt almost immediately his grin was so big._ _

__The two men resumed their walk, Christopher hadn't gotten too far ahead, "So, just to be clear, that was a yes, right?"_ _

__Eddie laughed, with a light jab of his elbow to Buck's side, "Yes, Buck. That was a yes."_ _


End file.
